A/N: Twilight is Meyer's. No copyright infringement intended.
Thanks for reading, and for reviewing.
BPOV
Jacob was early the next morning. But that was okay, because the chocolate chip pancakes were ready right when he walked up to the front door.
"Hey, Bells," he greeted me as he stepped inside. His grin turned impish as he shook his head wildly, sending rainwater flying in every direction. I laughed and gave him a shove, but his attention already had shifted. "Did you…? You did! I seriously love you."
I rolled my eyes as I shut the door behind him. "Where are you going?" I demanded.
He stopped in midstride. "The kitchen?" he replied. "I can see the pancakes from here, Bells. You can't hide them from me."
"I wasn't going to," I responded. "But I already put your juice on the table."
Jake's head swiveled toward the table and the glass of juice that sat there. He stared at it for a long moment. I watched him as he clenched his jaw. I knew exactly what he was thinking.
The glass was sitting at his place. The place at the table that had been taken over by Victoria and her spawn, but that had remained his in my mind. The place that was opposite mine. The place he'd sat and talked with me, teased me, over dozens of breakfasts since I'd moved to Forks.
The place he belonged.
After a minute, he swallowed hard. He moved to the table and sat down slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on his glass of juice. I blinked rapidly as I headed into the kitchen to grab his plate. When I set it on the table in front of him, I hesitated, then I impulsively leaned in to kiss his damp hair. He grabbed me by the waist and pulled me to him for one of his too-tight hugs. I hugged him back.
"Thank you, Jacob," I murmured.
"For what?" he asked gruffly as he let me go.
I took a step back and smiled a watery smile. "For never leaving me alone."
He studied me for a moment. "You're welcome," he said quietly. Then he abruptly turned his attention to his food. "Chocolate chip," he commented. "Happy Friday to me."
At that, I broke into a snicker. Jake shot me a grin. He always knew exactly how to make me smile.
I heard a sound upstairs, and I hurried back into the kitchen. I was just setting Charlie's plate and coffee mug down at the head of the table when he reached the bottom of the stairs. He glanced at Jake, who was shoveling in chocolate to the left of his place, then at me as I sat in my spot on his right. With a fond smile, he pulled out his chair and sat between us. Then he looked down at his plate.
"What the… Chocolate chip?" He looked over at me. "What did you break?"
Jake snorted. I shot him a dark look. "Dad," I protested. "I was in my room all night."
"That never stopped you before," he remarked.
"That's true," I mused. But I still gave Jake a sharp kick under the table for his laughing at me. He smirked back. "Shut up," I ordered him.
"I will if you give me that piece of bacon," he returned.
I tossed the strip of bacon across the table and onto his plate. He immediately picked it up and took a bite. I cut into my pancakes as though nothing had happened. When I glanced over at my dad, I saw him watching the two of us with an affectionate, wistful smile. He noticed my gaze and smiled a little wider, then he dropped his gaze to his plate and started to eat.
I smiled to myself. I'd missed our breakfast banter, too.
By the time we'd finished eating, I'd lost count of how many pancakes Charlie and Jake had eaten, or how many times Jake had almost made me spray orange juice out of my nose. The jerk had a real knack for doing that to me. But he helped me clean up the kitchen while Charlie was upstairs, so I supposed all was forgiven.
I darted up to my room when we finished the dishes. It only took me a minute to get dressed and grab my backpack, then I headed back downstairs. Charlie was at the front door, shrugging into his jacket. He glanced up at me as his hand automatically checked the contents of his belt.
"Victoria will be here to get some of her things at noon," he told me. "I'll be here with her. She should be gone by three."
"You're going back to work after that?" I asked as Jake wandered in from the kitchen.
"Yeah. I need to get a few things done this afternoon. I'll be home around seven." Charlie shot me a mock stern look. "And I don't expect to see you before then."
"Sure, sure," I replied. Jake grinned at me, both for my mimicking his normal phrase and for the reference to my punching Mike and Lauren. He had gotten a huge kick out of those stories last night.
Charlie's eyes lit on me, and he gazed at me for a moment before he turned and headed out the door. Jacob and I trailed after him. I stopped to close and lock the front door, then I pulled up the hood of my jacket and followed Jake through the rain to my truck. My dad paused to wave at us at his cruiser. We waved back.
"You're going to Port Angeles after school?" Jake asked after Charlie had driven off. He held open the door of the truck and waited as I climbed in.
"Yes." I dropped my backpack to the seat beside me and glanced back at him. He had moved in close to block me from the rain. "I have to talk to him. See if he'll listen."
Jacob nodded. "Good luck."
"Thanks."
"Have fun at school." He stepped back and grinned wickedly down at me. "See if you can get a picture of Lauren and send it to me."
I grinned back. "I'll try to do that. See you later, Jake."
"Bye, Bells." He closed my door and loped over to his Rabbit. I watched him leave, then I pulled out after him and headed for school.
Alice sprang at me the second I walked through the door. "I was worried you weren't coming today…. Ugh, you're soaked," she complained as she danced a step back.
I ignored her disgust. "Hey, Jasper." He gave me a small wave as he fell into step behind us. "Yes, I'm here," I answered Alice. "I have to be here all day, or I can't go to prom. Stupid rule," I muttered. I would have loved to have stayed home. I was tired. I was afraid I may fall asleep in the middle of calculus.
Suddenly Alice launched forward and grabbed me around the waist. "Thank you!" she exclaimed. She pulled back and bounced on her toes for a second before she remembered that I was dripping with rainwater. Her gaze lowered to her dampened clothes, and she wrinkled her nose. Then she looked up at me and started bouncing again. "I know you promised to go, and you never break your promise, but I thought maybe after the thing with the harpies and Charlie, you might not be here today, and that would mean—"
"Alice," I interjected. "I'm here. Breathe."
She took a dramatic breath and started walking beside me again. "I am so excited about tomorrow. We actually can do prom stuff without the spawn being in the way. It's going to be perfect."
I dropped my backpack outside my locker and spun in the combination. "You're making me reconsider my attendance today," I informed her.
She smirked at me. "Oh, speaking of attendance," she began. "No sign of your victim yet this morning. Think maybe they won't show?"
I'd considered that. Lauren was incredibly vain, and she wouldn't want anyone to see her looking the way Charlie had described her. But she also wouldn't want to miss prom – especially not if she thought I may go. So the stupid rule that had me here today probably would have her here, too.
I was proven right before I could even open my mouth to reply.
Jasper was looking down the hall when I shut my locker and turned to face him. His expression cut off my response. When he pointed with his umbrella, Alice and I followed his gaze. I heard Alice utter a surprised, appreciative curse beside me. I felt a strange mix of horror and pride as a shocked curse of my own echoed in my head.
Lauren and Jessica had just walked through the door. And Lauren looked… awful.
Her long blonde hair was hanging around her face. She was wearing sunglasses and a heavy application of makeup, but even across the distance, I could see the swelling and the splotchy bruise that ran across her nose and up under the dark lenses. It looked like someone had hit her with a shovel.
Jasper let out a low whistle beside me. I glanced over at his amazed expression. Alice was grinning when I looked over at her. "Awesome," she whispered.
We watched the spawn head straight to their lockers and ignore everyone around them. But everyone around them was not ignoring them. The gossip was flaring the entire length of the hall. And people already were turning to stare at me.
First a stalker, now a serial face-puncher. But at least this time, the stares were intrigued, not disgusted. There was a certain level of respect swirling around me, even though no one knew for sure that I was responsible for Lauren's injury.
Lauren didn't have a lot of supporters, I realized. But suddenly, I seemed to.
Alice, Jasper, and I watched until Lauren and Jessica headed around the far corner and out of sight. Then Alice was in front of me, smiling hugely. "That. Was. So. Freaking. Amazing."
I grinned. "That seems to be the popular opinion," I commented, letting my gaze wander over the spectators in the hallway.
Alice waved that off. "Eh, everyone hates her," she replied. The warning bell rang overhead before she could continue. "Crap. We'll talk about this later."
"I'm sure we will." I was sure everyone would.
But as much as people did talk about it, it wasn't until I was closing my locker after first period that someone finally asked me. Or tried to. "Bella," Claire began as she stepped up next to me. "Did you…? Are you the one who…?"
I just smiled at her and shrugged, then I turned and started down the hall. Alice caught up to me just as I rounded the corner.
And almost ran into Lauren.
Instinctively, I tensed for the daily shove. My body relaxed when I realized that Lauren had taken a huge step back. For a second, she stared at me from behind her sunglasses. I gazed emotionlessly back. Finally she lowered her head and skirted around me. Jessica trailed behind her as she turned the corner. Bree was behind Jessica, and she slowed only enough to glare darkly at me before following her two friends.
"Holy crap, Bella," Alice muttered beside me.
I glanced at her. The noise level in the hall began to go up. I realized that people were really starting to gape at me now. "What?" I asked.
Alice glanced back, then looked at me again. "I just… I've never seen you stare someone down like that. You looked… Wow. I'd have run for it, too."
I shook my head and started down the hall again. "You're nuts, Alice."
She fell into step beside me. "I'm not. You were intimidating as hell, Bella. And now no one has any doubt about you being the one who hit her." She snickered to herself. "I would have paid good money to see you hit her. But if you looked like that when you did it…"
"Alice," I muttered. This was getting embarrassing. People were listening to her.
"What?" She raised her brows at me. "She deserved it. And it was a long time coming, too—"
"Alice." I shot her a Look. "I'm going to class now."
"Okay, okay. See you at lunch."
"Right." I rolled my eyes and took my seat. My classmates stared. And after class, a few of them offered anything from a smile to a high-five, while Mike Newton still carefully avoided me.
Then there were the royals.
They were standing at the far end of the hall when I headed for the cafeteria after fourth period. Aro was giving me his typical intrigued look when I noticed them. Felix seemed amused. And Jane…
Jane still hated me. Maybe even more now.
Alice breezed past me before I reached the cafeteria doors. I started to comment, but she rounded the corner before I could speak. I frowned in confusion and stopped to wait for her. And I tried to ignore the proximity of the royals, who seemed content just to glare at me for the moment.
After a minute, Alice reappeared. She strolled casually up to me just as the royals turned to wander off. Still, she found it necessary to glower down the hall at them until they disappeared into the lunchroom. I gave her an expectant look when she finally focused on me. Then, when she glanced down, I noticed what she held in her hand.
"That's not your phone," I noted, frowning at the cell.
"Nope. It's Bree's." She ignored my stunned look. "And there are some pictures here I think you need to see."
"How did you…?"
"I asked." Alice shoved the phone into my hand. "Look."
I glanced down. And I immediately felt the color drain out of my face. I flipped quickly through the pictures. There were enough that the scene played out like a movie. They left no question about what had happened. When I reached the end of the album, I stood staring numbly down at the phone until the screen went black.
After a long pause, I whispered, "He did push her away."
Alice's voice was quiet when she replied, "Yeah. He did."
I swallowed hard. My mind skipped through the images I'd just seen. Edward with Tanya. Being kissed by her. Tensing in surprise. And shoving her away with a furious expression on his face.
All the rejected pictures of that moment. The ones Bree hadn't wanted anyone to see.
I couldn't speak. I couldn't even feel. Then, finally, my heart started to slam in my chest. My brain felt like it was scrambling to catch up. "Alice," I began frantically. "Alice, I screwed everything up. He's not going to want to see me now."
Alice carefully took the phone from me. "I bet he will."
"But I… I told him… And the way I treated him…"
"Bella." Alice looked up into my unfocused eyes. "Bella, you had this figured out before now. I just wanted you to see that you were right."
"Yeah." I nodded slowly. "I was right." I drew in a long, deep breath. "I just hope he lets me explain."
"He will." Alice tapped her temple. "I know it."
I shook my head at her. "I hope you're right."
Maybe Alice would have been right. If Edward was home.
I'd been sitting in my truck along the curb for half an hour, staring at his house through the light drizzle. His car wasn't in the driveway. Which didn't mean much, considering what had happened to it when he had left it in the driveway…. I wouldn't blame him for hiding it from Alice and Esme, even after Carlisle supposedly had stopped by to talk to Esme about her family's vandalism habits.
But no one had answered my knock, either, so I assumed that the house really was empty. I'd finally pulled my sketchbook out and started to draw to keep myself awake while I waited. He had to come home eventually, I figured. I'd just sit here until he did.
Even if the neighbors did give me strange looks when they walked by with their dogs.
I was working on my third sketch when the rain tapered off. I shot a fast glance out at the sky. I'd been waiting to make any calls until the rain stopped, just in case it decided to let loose and pour and drown out the conversation. It seemed like it may hold off for a little while now, so I tugged my cell phone out of my backpack and gazed down at it. I wished I had Edward's number so I could call him. But there was someone else I needed to call.
I'd already ignored three calls from my mom since Edward and I had been apart. If I talked to her, she would know that something was wrong, and she would interrogate me for hours. But I knew that I'd have to talk to her soon. Her messages were getting a little panicky.
Besides, I had good news to share now, and to use as a distraction. The spawn were gone. Charlie was back. And I had promised to tell her about Dartmouth, anyway. So I dialed her number, already planning my escape if Edward happened to appear.
"Bella!" My mom's voice was warm and relieved. "Honey, where have you been?"
"I'm sorry, Mom," I apologized. "Things were kind of… hectic."
"What did Edward do?" she demanded instantly. "Did he hurt you? Are you okay?"
I closed my eyes tightly. "Mom," I protested. I still had no idea how she did that. "He didn't hurt me. But I just… I don't want to talk about him right now."
"All right, honey," she agreed reluctantly. "We don't have to."
I knew that tone. She'd drop it. But she hoped I would feel guilty enough to explain. Not this time. "Thanks," I replied.
"Have you been sleeping?" came the next random, astute question.
"Mom," I complained.
"Sorry, sweetie. You just sound tired."
"I am. A little," I lied. I was a lot tired. I'd been drifting off in the middle of my last sketch when the rain finally had stopped. I shot a fast glance at myself in the mirror. It was no wonder the neighbors stared at me. I was sporting my best zombie look. Edward was really missing out.
Before my mother could come up with her next observation, I hurried on, "I, um… I have some news." I paused then, trying to figure out how to start. I decided just to blurt it out. "Charlie kicked Victoria and her daughters out."
And there came the inquisition. I answered as many of her questions as I could without giving away too many details about how I had been treated. Still, I thought she knew. So I rushed on to the next topic when her questions started to become too shrewd.
When I told her about Dartmouth, she squealed so loudly I was sure the neighbors' dogs were covering their ears. I held the phone away from my own ear until she stopped. The next minute or so consisted of her rambling incoherently. Finally she exclaimed, "Oh, Bella, I am so proud of you!"
I grinned. "Thanks, Mom."
"I really am, I'm just so… Oh! Phil's home! Phil! Honey, come here! Bella's on the phone. She has something to tell you!"
I smiled wider at her exclamation points. When I told Phil my news, his enthusiasm was much more sedate, but no less sincere. He reminded me of Jasper. He really was good for my mom.
I talked to them for another half hour – well, Phil and I listened to my mom alternately giggle giddily and sigh dreamily as she examined every facet of my future. At one point, she started to choke up, and I quickly intervened as Phil soothed her. Her tears faded rapidly, and she was back to daydreaming within a minute or two. For the most part, I let her talk without interruption. I was just glad everyone finally knew, even if I still had my doubts about it actually happening. But I wasn't going to bring that up now, not with her so happy.
Finally, though, I had to interrupt her gushing. "Mom, I have to go. Charlie will be home soon." I suppressed a sigh about how true that was as I glanced at the clock again. I needed to head home. And Edward still hadn't shown up.
"Okay, honey. We're so proud of you! And we're so excited about coming to your graduation."
For the first time, I smiled at that prospect. "I'm excited about it, too. I can't wait to see you."
"Love you, Bella," she said.
"Love you, too," I replied. "Bye, Mom. Bye, Phil."
When I hung up, I sat for a moment, just staring out at the empty house in front of me. I should have driven around. Looked for him. But with my luck, he would have come home and left again before I could have made it back.
With a lengthy sigh, I turned the key and headed out. I would take a few detours on the way home. See if I could spot his car. Or find a way to wherever he was.
My first stop was Emmett's house. No one was home there, either. I left there and headed to my only other chance – the hospital.
Carlisle wasn't in.
Carmen was very apologetic when she told me he was out for the day, but her sympathetic look did little to make me feel better. I declined her offer to leave a note; I wanted to talk to Edward in person from the very beginning, so he could see my face and I could see his. And I couldn't have him show up at my house tonight; Charlie was much more unpredictable than the harpies. He very likely would find Edward in my room, or find my room empty if I went to Edward. And Charlie had a gun.
So I thanked Carmen and dragged back out to my truck and rumbled away toward home, feeling pathetically dejected and wishing I knew where else to look. I comforted myself slightly with the fact that I would find him eventually. But I wouldn't have an opportunity to try again until Sunday.
As I drove, I turned on the radio for the first time in days. I found a classical station and let it play quietly as I headed slowly away from Port Angeles.
And I missed Edward more than ever.
EPOV
I really missed Bella.
It probably was hitting me so hard because I was just so damn tired. Or maybe because I was sitting on the McCartys' sofa, watching Emmett inhale a pack of cheese puffs. It was revolting to watch him eat.
We'd gotten to his house about half an hour ago. It was almost ten o'clock. I still had no idea why I had let him drag me around all of Port Angeles while he looked for the perfect corsage for Rosalie. It hadn't surprised me that he'd ended up returning to the first store and buying the one we'd originally considered.
But it had been a big deal for him. He wasn't the kind of guy to look for something like that. He'd only thought of it at all because Rose had mentioned it at school today. And because she had given him the "It better be perfect" raised eyebrow, he'd made me go with him.
It hadn't been a complete waste of time for me, though. I had bought a "perfect" corsage, too. Freesia. Redundant. But exactly what I'd wanted. Another reason I was missing her so much right now, I mused.
I'd been planning to buy a corsage tomorrow, anyway, so Emmett's shopping spree actually had been convenient. Even if I hadn't let him see me pay for it and ask the saleslady to hold it for me… or told him yet what I was planning. I was waiting for Rosalie to come in from the garage so I could tell them both.
I made a face at Emmett as he wiped his orange fingers on his jeans. He shrugged and resumed flipping through the channels on the TV. I was too tired for this. For him. But I did owe him…. Besides the corsage adventure, he'd picked me up for school this morning and had managed to keep me both away from Tanya and awake the entire day. I probably would have fallen asleep before lunch if he hadn't kept pushing me to "look alive."
I really wanted to fall asleep now.
My eyes drifted closed as I rested my head on the cushions of the couch. It was no use, and I knew it. I wouldn't fall asleep. But at least my burning eyes could rest a little.
"You want me to take you home?" Emmett asked after a minute.
"No." I didn't open my eyes. "Carlisle's been at some conference all day. He'd want to talk. I don't feel like listening." No offense, Carlisle, I thought. Just not right now.
"All right." I heard him crumple up his bag. "My parents will be home in an hour. You can crash here if you want."
I nodded absently. "I think I will."
"Okay…. Hey, Rose," he greeted his girlfriend as the door to the garage clicked open.
"Hey, Em… Edward."
I opened my eyes and sat up. Rosalie already was perched on the arm of Emmett's recliner, wiping her hands on a rag. Somehow she'd managed to keep the oil and grease off her clothes today. It was kind of impressive.
For a second, I studied them. Finally I admitted, "Carlisle helped me pick out a tux."
Rosalie had it figured out instantly. It took Emmett longer. He was stuck on the idea that I wasn't going to prom. And he was right. Partially. "For what?" he asked.
I drew in a steadying breath. "I'm going to Bella's prom."
There was a beat of silence. "Whoa. Bold." Emmett stared at me approvingly. Then he blinked. "I'd go with you, man, but Rose and I—"
"Are crashing Forks' prom."
Emmett looked sharply up at Rosalie. "What?"
"Oh, c'mon," she said, giving him an amused look. "I don't care which prom I go to. And this'll be worth seeing." She glanced at me. "If you think she'll really be there."
"She will." I was certain. She'd promised Alice. Bella never broke a promise.
Emmett stared at Rosalie for a moment before he turned to me. "Well, all right," he said with a huge grin. "Prom crashing it is."
"Ness will be with us." Rosalie raised a brow at me, her expression challenging. "Unless that's a problem."
"It's fine. As long as someone doesn't get drunk," I said pointedly.
Emmett lifted his hands. "Can't make any promises," he replied.
Rosalie glared. "I can."
"Okay, then." Emmett's grin turned mischievous. "Hope Forks is ready for us." He snickered suddenly. "Never thought I'd actually want to go there."
"Me, either," I muttered.
But I did. I couldn't wait to get back there.
Back to Bella.
